The Twenty-Fifth Hunger Games
by FetusDragon
Summary: Seventeen-year-old Isabella Dawn has never feared or craved her own existence so when her final chapter is inscribed upon instruction, she is truly willing to accept the fate District Four has thrust upon her. But when a mystifying plot twist named Lucas Odair suddenly appears, Isabella's story is completely rewritten.
1. Chapter 1

**_"Girl talk. That thing I've always been so bad at." _**

**_-Isabella May Dawn_**

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AUTHOR'S NOTE: In case you have not read the summary, this story is based on a girl from District 4, and the first ever Quarter Quell, where the tributes were chosen not reaped.

DISCLAIMER: I do not own the Hunger Games, but I do however own a good majority of all the characters mentioned in this story.

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Everyone thinks it was because of the rain. And in a way, I suppose that was true.

I wake up this morning, not to the heavy snores of Grayson but a excitable torrent of rain refusing to keep it in any longer. We had all been waiting for this rainstorm for quite some time, it had kept us all waiting. The forecast is too capricious for anyone to go out to sea so nearly everyone had the day off work.

Grayson, my brother, lets out a war whoop as Dad's battered AM radio announces the closures. He shakes the rusted, old box in triumph as the radio blurts out static. Our school is closed. It is enough rain to make the whole district go frenzy as with the risk of reckless waves and uncontrollable flooding, it makes transportation and fishing too dangerous.

"It's only a little water. They're so melodramatic." My mother huffed. Her daily routine now ruined.

The Peacekeepers could not care less about us all drowning as long as the Capitol received their goods on time, the sudden protectiveness of us all was only because the reaping was nearing.

"As long as I miss Swim Class. They can be dramatic as they like." Grayson said dwarfing the plastic stool I used for reaching high up things. He leaned back with his tailbone against the wall, his posture aggressively poor, one hand half in a pocket of his too short in length school pants. Despite us being considerably well off, Grayson just refused to stop growing making all his clothes mismatched and stitched up as the price of new school pants was a price we could not afford every few months. I hadn't grown in a while making me perfect for my mother's hand me downs as I had inherited her small heightedness but unfortunately her being fashionably plump, I looked like a frail child playing dress up in all of her nicer outfits.

Her dancing shoes still fit me though and that was my only concern. Dancing was my life; it was a aching hunger, a physical need, a friend. Living in District Four required you to be fit, as it was a must have for working on the docks all day, so with the danger of being reaped we were all encouraged to join some form of sports group at school. I joined the dancing group and caught the attention of Mrs. Wade, our instructor. I'd watch her glide across the floor, catching flashes of her white thighs as she twisted and turned. Mrs. Wade was not someone to cross and wore a permanent scowl when ever teaching other classes but when she danced, bird-like and graceful, she seemed at peace.

"You two can go and open up the shop after you have finished breakfast." My mother says.

We owned a little bakery which my mother had inherited from her parents and Dad was Captain of his own longliner boat. Me and Grayson were expected to pull our weight and help out at weekends which never worked out well. Grayson got easily sea sick and hated the smell of fish and in the bakery he always got in trouble for giving discounts to girls and never serving customers however he could always bargain a good trade and make a impressive profit when a pretty girl was not involved. Our only uses were reducing costs and doing finances for the bakery- we were good at that and I made usable fishhooks, that was mostly it.

I reluctantly showed Mother my poor attempt of a loaf of bread. I didn't know what contraction I just made but it was safe to say it was not edible. It was her fault really, she is obsessed with teaching me how to bake.

My mother sighed, "Why can't you just follow the recipe?" Whatever I just made was obviously not the outcome of her recipe. "Go help your brother run the shop." She handed me a wooden plate with a piece of goats cheese wrapped up in basil leaves and three freshly baked bread rolls. "Lunch."

Of course Grayson's inseparable best friend was here, Toby who often just barged into our home without an invitation. We were used to his presence though, he was apart of the family.

"New hair cut?" I asked him. His face was more defined with his carmine-coloured hair, now straight and short.

"Indeed." He replied.

After eating we played a game of cards, I concentrated on the game as Grayson and Toby gossiped about anybody and everybody.

My secure victory was paused as the bell attached to the door tinged signaling someone's arrival. We must of looked odd, all sat cross legged on the floor as Toby sat in his underwear and socks as his clothes were drying from his walk over here.

It was a very bedraggled Alexius Young. She was a classmate of mine and in my dance class. I had not seen her for weeks, which was not abnormal in her case. She often disappeared for long periods of time.

She dropped down to her knees crying leaving a pool of raindrops on the doormat. This was also a norm for her. Nobody asked her what was wrong, we already knew because the answer was obvious: her boyfriend.

I was unsure of my relationship with Alexius, the thought of asking her was too risky. We paired up when pairing up was required and I even 'hung out' with her on occasion. She was lethally temperamental and I learned it was always best to take a few steps back and tread with caution in situations like this.

When I returned with a mug of steaming tea she had gone.

"She lost a game of snap and stormed off," Toby said mopping up her muddy footprints with a towel.

"Screaming about how talent-less she is." Grayson finished. "You know. All the usual."

"Should we go after her?" I asked unsure, wincing at the sounds of the howling wind and pattering rain.

"No need. She'll be back." Grayson said.

Toby showed me her scarf that she had left behind, draping it around my neck. "Matches your eyes." He commented as we continued our game as if nothing had ever happened.

As predicted, later that evening as I was feeding the chickens, Alexius Young returned, hand in hand with Danny The Boyfriend.

I continued my chores as she walked over, "Even as a drowned rat you look fantastic." She whispered so quietly she properly thought I didn't hear. She raised her voice, overpowering the wind and rain with ease as I whipped the scarf off quickly handing it back to her. "It looks good on you. Matches your eyes."

Girl talk. That thing I've always been so bad at. Opinions on clothes, hair, make-up. So I say the only thing that comes to mind. "Yeah. It's a good shade of silver. And-um- I really like the little diamantes. It has a nice texture too, very velvety." Velvet. The only fabric I could think of off the top of my head.

She laughed as I immediately felt like an idiot. She often did this, pretended as nothing happened when something in fact did happen.

She ran the silk garment through her fingers suppressing a smile. "Danny got it me for our second month anniversary." I glanced at Danny The Boyfriend who waved at me. I nodded back, forcing a smile turning back to Alexius who looked very angry all of a sudden.

I think I may have caused an argument between them as when they walked away, there was less hand holding and more tension.

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Any feedback would be greatly appreciated.


	2. Chapter 2

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